A November shot |
Josh's much better hearing enabled us to pin point some 'chip' notes from the tangles, which we could then search and come up with an identification of.
By far the most common bird we saw was Red-breasted Merganser.
Out on the ice of the bay and marsh we counted 5 Snowy Owls. It was tempting to go out on the ice to get a closer look at an open spot at the south end of the bay, where geese, swans and gulls were resting, but in spite of the cold weather, the ice was only a few centimetres thick. The snow on the ice kept it from getting thicker, and we broke through readily, nixing that option.
After our south beach trek of about 8 km round trip, we stopped at the Visitor Centre for a rest, a snack and to watch the feeder. An Eastern Towhee put in an appearance, feeding on seeds below the feeders....
...or hanging out more photogenically in the shrubbery nearby.
At least one Tufted Titmouse was around. They have definitely become more numerous in the last few years.....
....as have Red-bellied Woodpeckers.
Tis the Christmas season, so sharing is good.
Unfortunately the Brown Thrasher which was seen in the feeder area the day before, was not noticed on count day.
Fox Sparrows were noted along the roadsides.
Although we didn't see any Pileated Woodpeckers in our area, other people did in theirs. Some years the spot on the tally sheet for this species is blank, so it is nice to have this resident species accounted for.
The Wilson's Snipe is not always a guarantee to be seen, even when we know it is around. Fortunately one group stopped by the appointed location and saw it.
All in all, it was a good day in spite of the weather. Every year is different. At least it wasn't raining, or snowing so hard that visibility was quite limited, both conditions which have been experienced on previous counts.
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